Last night as I was flipping around the channels I ran across Larry King on CNN talking to Dr Andrew Weil about health and specifically about the Swine Flu.

For anyone that has not seen or heard Dr Weil, he is a very interesting guy. He is not a big fan of drug companies, is really interested in alternative medicines and therapies and has the research to prove his point. And he really has the hippy look to him.

Anyway Dr Weil mentioned that Astragalus is available in health food stores as a capsule and that he would be taking it starting soon to avoid the Swine Flu (H1N1). Also he was very clear that to avoid any flu that you should do the following:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after using it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you do get the flu (or any contagious illness, for that matter), stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

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MSN has a Q and A with Dr Andrew Weil about the different kinds of teas and what they are good for. The thing that I like about Dr Weil is the huge depth of knowledge that he has about alternative medicines and I remember reading one of his early books and just reading that book changed a lot of my preconceptions about the voodoo behind alternative medicines

Green Tea Alternatives – MSN Health & Fitness – Diet & Fitness

Black Tea

The color refers to the leaves; the beverage is deep amber. Black tea varieties include Darjeeling and Earl Grey; flavors range from spicy to flowery.

Benefits: May lower risk of heart disease and colon cancer; inhibits bacteria that cause cavities and bad breath.

Green Tea

If you find the flavor too “grassy,” try my favorites: jewel green matcha, which I enjoy every morning, and Japanese sencha.

Benefits: Has been shown in numerous studies to help prevent many kinds of cancer, lower cholesterol, and boost immunity.

Oolong Tea

Midway between green and black tea in color, flavor, and antioxidant action, oolong has a fresh floral or fruity aroma.

Benefits: Drinking 3 cups a day can help relieve itchy skin rashes.

Pu-Erh (poo-air) Tea

This dark red tea has an earthy flavor that reminds me of coffee and tobacco. It’s considered a delicacy in China (you can purchase it online), where its processing is a highly guarded secret. The most oxidized of teas, pu-erh is said to mellow and improve with age, like wine.

Benefits: May reduce cholesterol.

White Tea

Rare and expensive, this least processed tea has a flavor that’s a bit too subtle for me.

Benefits: Contains more antioxidants than other teas. Test-tube studies show that it blocks DNA mutations (which trigger tumor formation); a study on rats discovered it prevented precancerous colon tumors.

All of these Teas are readily available at most health food stores or even in some supermarkets

The oldest of the nation’s 79 million baby boomers will begin turning 60 in only three months.

So the timing is right for the latest book by Andrew Weil, the Tucson physician known for his pioneering work integrating Eastern and Western approaches to medicine. Weil has just written his 11th book, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, out last week.

Weil spoke with USA TODAY’s Janet Kornblum from his Arizona desert home not only about medicine, but also about attitudes on aging.

Q: There are so many books on aging out there. Why do we need one more? And what is different about this book?
A: I found most are written from the perspective of anti-aging — and that bothers me. Aging is a natural process and inevitable. The baby boomers are soon going to be in the ranks of the oldest people. I don’t think they’re going to put up with the stereotyped roles of old people that have been held out to previous generations. It’s the right time for this book to come along.
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